A numerical study of dynamics of a temporally evolving swirling jet

Abstract

Direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a swirling jet near the outlet of a nozzle with axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric disturbances is performed to investigate the dynamic characteristics of the flow. The early (linear) stage of the jet evolution agrees well with the predictions of linear stability theory. In the nonlinear stage, the axisymmetric DNS shows that the interaction between the primary vortex ring and the streamwise columnar vortex creates a secondary vortex structure with opposite azimuthal vorticity near the columnar vortex. Then a vortex pair consisting of the primary and secondary vortices forms and travels radially away from the symmetry axis, causing a rapid increase of the thickness of mixing layer. The non-axisymmetric DNS shows that the streamwise vortex layer developed in the early stage of evolution due to azimuthal instability breakdowns into small eddies under the joint stretch of the axial and azimuthal shear. The results reveal several mechanisms of mixing enhancement by swirl, i.e., the radial motion of vortex ring pairs, the rapid growth of streamwise vorticity, and the creation of three-dimensional small eddies. They are all favorable for fluid entrainment in swirling jets.